Matt Cooke Show: Winning Streak Feels Like ’09

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PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – The Pittsburgh Penguins have won 10 in a row, and winger Matt Cooke joins Vinnie & Cook on Sportsradio 93-7 The Fan to break it all down.

Cooke compares this winning streak to a similar one that led to a Stanley Cup.

“If you look back, the last time we really carried this feeling was when we went on the run before the 2009 playoffs,” Cooke admits. “We approached those games a certain way. In those games we felt like games were never really in jeopardy. That’s the kind of feeling we want to build moving forward.”

During Pittsburgh’s 2-1 win over Washington, Cooke was slapped with double minor penalties, setting the stage for the game’s critical moment.

“I have to make sure I control my emotions a little more than that,” Cooke confesses. “It was a key time in the game, and it was my bad for losing my head a little bit. Sitting in that box knowing that the team’s gotta kill four minutes is not a very warm and fuzzy feeling. You just hope the guys can get the job done so you can redeem yourself when you come out.”

Cooke redeemed himself by notching the assist on Matt Niskanen’s game-winning goal just moments after emerging from the penalty box.

“Sid did a great middle entry dump to me, and when I got the puck, Niskanen was wide open in the slot,” Cooke said. “It was a pretty easy pass for me to get it to him, and he made a great shot.”

Cooke also gives the inside scoop on Sidney Crosby’s play, the improvement of the penalty kill, and Paul Martin’s good season so far.

Matt Cooke appears every week with Vinnie & Cook on Sportsradio 93-7 The Fan. His next scheduled appearance is Wednesday, March 27.